Package and parts thereof for delicate articles



c. D. VERDE 2,654,468

PACKAGE AND PARTS THEREOF FOR DELICATE ARTICLES Oct. 6, 1953 Filedsept.y 50, 1949 Patented Oct. 6, 1953 UNITED STATE -PACKAGE AND PARTSTHEREOF FoR f DELICATE ARTICLES Charlesllverde, Union City, N. "JApplication September 30, 1949, Serial No. 118,929

The present invention relates to packaging and more particularly to apackage adapted to contain and protect against injury of delicate'oreasily injured watch parts, assemblies, or the like.

The problem of containing and shipping items such as small watch partsor assemblies is particularly troublesome due to the fragile or delicatenature of the items or assemblies. For example, in connection with therepairing of watches the jeweler who receives the Watch frequently sendsthe balance wheel-bridge-hairspring subassembly to a specialist forchecking and calibration, as these specialists possess the necessaryequipment and special skillsV required vfor such work. After beingrepaired and calibrated such delicate assemblies must be returned to thejeweler for reassembly by him into the watch from which it was removed.

By reason of the very delicate nature of such assemblies it has beennecessary to exercise extreme care in handling them during return to thejeweler. Since no satisfactory means has heretofore been provided forsatisfactorily holding the very delicate and finely adjusted assembliesit has previously been thewpractice todisassemble and separately wrapsome of the components and toA then return them toy the jeweler, thelatter beinggobliged to reassemble the components and recheck them. 'j

`'I'his previous practice has been highly objectionable in view of theoriginal repair, calibration, v disassembly, individual wrapping Iof theparts, shipping, and subsequent reassembly and recalibration. In thesubsequent reassembly and recalibration one or more of the parts hasfrequently become damaged sufciently to require again sending it to thespecialist ,for subsequent repair and recalibration. The foregoingprocedure has been time-consuming, laborious, tedious and undulyexpensive. Ihere have been devised various containers for holdingwatches but in those instances the delicate parts are usually embodiedin their working position in the watch and therefore subjected toconditions similar to those arising during wearing of the watch by anindividual; even in those instances, however, some of the packages havebeen unduly complicated by reason of requiring special spring mounting,etc.

The present invention aims to provide fa new and improved packagecomprising an outer casing or container with interior packing orcushioning material for holding delicate watch parts in position againstinjury.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedpackage.

i'olaim. (c1. 20e- 18) 2 Another object of the. inventioxifisto providea new and improved ypackage adapted tojcontain delicate watch partsL inYan assembled condition during shipmentjthe'reorf. u v Another objectisnto'provide a new and iinproved packing for holding delicate partsposl tion inacontainer. Y Another object is to provide an improved Dalifage adapted to contain delicate parts which is oi relatively simpleand inexpensiveconstruction; y Other and further objects v oftheinvention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrativeembodiment abouttobe'udescribed, onwill be indicated. in theapeeridedglems, .and Yerius advantages not referred .to herein willoccurlto lone skilled in the artuponV employment .,ofjlthe invention inpractice.Q Y I ,Y ,j A preferred ernbogiiment;ofl the invention has beenchosen for purposes of illustration` and description and isshown in the`accompanying drawings, forming a, partV of, the]speiiication',` wherein:iff. n, I Fig. 1 is a sectionalviw showing thepresent package prior toapplication'oithe cover portion;v Fig. 2 is a cross V scgectionval viewf through the present package with theoover` in closedposition and.Showing `an Yarticle held in position; Fig. 3 is an exploded,perspective view showing the parts of the present invention?, l

Fig. 4 is a side elevational viewusho wing pick? ing or cushioningmember of y the presentWinv'ention; .e Fis. 5 is a perspetiveiview,Showing@ @3109i similar to that o i Fig. 4 with one vksidensprY aparttomore clearly disclose theinterior construe in thereof;

Fig. s is a Sectionaiview illustrating integer-e1 one method ofvformingjzhe packing or cushioiifing members suchas illustratedin Fig.4;

Fig 7 is a side. elevationalv view showinga modiiied form ofpacking orcushioning member; and 4 Fis. 8 is a perspectivejriemg the membershowninFig.7. v In Figs. 1 through 5 there is shown ai preferredembodiment of the present invention. Y As there 'shown the presentdevice comprises au hollow receptacle I having a bottonil portionri.vand up wardly extending side wall s ,;4 th e latter vbeing provided witha laterallyxlielldpg, PrpjtiOn Oi bulge 5. The receptacle l maybeoifvgenerjally circular shape and thenbulgernay compriseran annularprotuberance extending'. around itlf A lid or top Amember 1 adaptedtocooperate with the receptacle l has a 'coverportiorifll` and downl-Wardly extending side fiwallsvjtli lattea" b 3 of interior diameter to tclosely over the upper portions of the side walls 4 and to rest at thelower end or edge 3 thereof against the out- Wardly extending bulge orprotuberance 5. The protuberance 5 thus serves to limit the extent ofdownward movement of the cover 8 toward the bottom 2. Together, the topmember 'l and receptacle Ii forr a" hollow coitainer" which isadapted'to hold the newiand improved packaging or cushioning materialabout to be described. This packaging material serves to retain a'delicate watch part or sub-assembly" Ilt posi-1" tion within thecontainer.

As shown in Fig. 2, the delicate `watch part or subassembly II issupported between uio'p'er and lower thicknesses ofcushionslaridll@these thicknesses being separated from each other byfrom each other by the layers of material I6 and I TISFr flheselayers'preferably comprise some substantially lint-free material such as tissuepaper,

N, whichfservesto keep lint or minute particles of layers of material I6and I'I. Each thicknessor" cushion I3 and I4 lpreferably comprises aplurality ofilayers;` IQofcel-l'ulos vfadeling; the-several separatevlayersf'b'e'ing"joine'd'or1interlocked with e'ach 'otherfat-theiriouteredg'es y'butr having Player portions disposed inwardly) ofth'eir`outer edges freeY of'rv interlocking? e'rig'agerrrent;Y

The: constructioiroff one of the thicknesses or cushions is illustratedmore particularlyfin Fig. 5 `where' one i of themislshown pulledY apartat one'si'de' or edge thereof- Preferably each layer o`material iso'fafilmyfor loose b'rous nature; that* is g each ila'yer is'-'re1`ativelythin and delicate with numerous*openings-through it.' While any suitablenumbero layers 'may 'bei joined together, dependingltoj'a-lcx-rtairefirtent upon the degree of compressi'bilityi01""softnessL desired, seventeen to twenty'7 such layers-willgive-goodresultsin holding a watch sub-assembly comprising-abalanceWheel, bridge; and hairsphg;

To lfornrthe'thiclriesspr cushions shown. in Figs? l'fth'roughl;aiplurality of layers of loose fibrous cellulose:wad'dingV material maybe moved beneath a reciprocating punch 22 (Fig. 6) which knocks v-outPa'-* co'rripleted-thickness or cushion at -eachA down' strok-- A's-thepunch 22 descends, it 4compresses the' sepa-rate layers" of material I9adjacent fthefouter'edges: of the punch andrv'seems tov rmly-'sleezetheminto-interlocking rela; tionship ad'acentf'theouterfedges of i thepunch, between the outer'edge's`v 23of thel punch' and' a cooperatingedge=2` 'of ""a'fdie-25. Reciprocation of the punch I 22- thusicc'J'z-n'presses and cuts out ffa cushion at each down stroke. The edgesofthe material are `iirrnly interlockedlorfjoined together alongmarginaledges 28andthe interlocked edges 28 Y"retain the k-s -pa rateilayers securelyl together as a unit. It is not necessary to usegluef'orfad'- hesive for holding the marginal or edge portions togetheras the operation icfstampingtheldis'clike thicknesses f I 3f and I 4fout of the v'multiple layers vof material llseemsjto squeezethem andinterlock them-together suicientl'y -to'retain their shapes and toprevent separation intoindividual layers VAunder normal4cci'nditior'isof usage. Centrally disposed portions 3Imand 32 ofV thethick# nesses bulge orlfctirv'e' voutwardlyia'pa'rt'-- from each otherand away--ifomthelmargiiial-edgeffportioiis 28 to thus provide'a`very"so'ftor" uyielding/*con1- struction lwith contiguous separateflayers 'of ma; terial. The 'cushions 'or thicknesses'l3, I4f'are thusparticularly sof-t and yieldable adjacent their mid-portions.' Y

The lrelative propertionsof the 'containerV and the V`cushions aresuclfifthat 'when' I two' cushions are placed within afreeeptaclf- Ithey* -prj ect above' it-(1ig.''1); In'iaoditibn; ,peripheralfzpor tionsof' 'the Vcu'sliions""preferably "lie "clsely` adi c'ellul'seuwaddingfrom getting into the hair- `springer?other.'partsof the unit I I.

Assembly of the parts will now be described more" particularly with?reference to Fig. 3. A lower cushion member lil may be nrst placedvintoposition atthe lower'p'a'rt of the receptacle Ia'nd thereafter a layerof tissue paper? o'r other suit# able-material I'I may be laidagu'iinstthe upper surface` of the cushion` I4. The delicatef watchunit"or-sub-asse'rnbly to be contained or shipped through the'v mail isthen laid upon theulfpvfr surface: ofthel tissuev layer I'I. Theupperlayer of-lint-free'material or' tissue paper I6 is then placed; over'thewatch unit and thereafter the upper cushion I3 laid upon thevuppermostsuriface of-thetisssu'e layer I 6I Finally the top mein: berj'I is? placedr over-'the uppermost surface ofthe thickness or cushionI3" andialignedjwith-jthe sidewalls II of the receptacle I, in which'relation ship'k it'may be pressedV gently home upon the receptacle.l Asthe' cover portion 8 of the' top-'.1 movesiftoward thebottoml 2V of thereceptaclel the cushions or thicknesses I3an`d Ill'are" com# pressedtoward each other; their'portions'lwhich areA disposed laterallyoutwardly beyond! the article `I I `(Fig. 2) to Ybe held approach eachother and press into contact with eachother theouti Wardlydisposed'portionsl of the tissue paper layersA I6 and I1. Thus;thoseportionsfofthe tissuepa'per layers l'and I'I andiofY thecushions IQ'andf-'I 4which'are disposed generally aroundthe borders of ythe article tovbefretainedare moved toward-each other sofas `Vto en'clos'e'v or'surround the article. Y y A l Thosev portions of the Vtissue layersv'and ofl the cushions which are nio're'fcentr'ally disposed yieldoutwardlyfasthe'cushions I3. and"I4"'are pressed together', this beingvefiectedby thefa'rticlel II which isf retained; note 'therelationsh'ip'of Ythe cushion members, tissue'layers; and watch suba'sSl bly Il asi'lfshOWn in F'glZ. Llorlliilit'e vparticles arey kept r'out*of the` delicate mhanisr'n'-f'il bythe tissuelayers 'le and"I7- itwilljbeelear that other suitable materialthaln tis# slepaper' maybeused"forfrtheselayersl and I1@ The Wat'chwunit 0i" Daft is thusheldgently butfirmlyfagainst eitherE 'up f and down' or lateral movementby thcusnionswhieh fold together around iti The cush l 11'stheiriselvesl are, -of cour c ni'larly Al'eid,against up and down orlateral movement-by e toprand bottomofthe con; tainefandiayi-tu" fuewaigsfthereof, the cushions being preferably `"in Contact with the?side'wal'ls of the receptacle or container as wellaswitltlietopaiidbottorn' "`ti ,merges 7 'an' a there showna siighuy modi: io cusion member 3% which maybe de# irisonfin anc The'*'cushio member thereshown di ers fro; hatloffthe-'preferred embodiment 'in that 'it has "afsort of 'pei'ipheral ange 35 which is adapt-edito 'lieclo'selyadjacent5 interior walls of a container such as that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a new and improvedpackage which is adapted to contain delicate watch assemblies orindividual parts. The parts or assemblies are firmly but gentlysupported upon yieldable cushions and out of contact with any rigidwalls or portions which might serve to damage them during shipment orotherwise. The delicate or fragile partsl are rmly retained within acontainer against movement in any direction therein under normalconditions of usage. The present new and improved package is ofrelatively simple and yet inexpensive construction; it provides forshipment of such delicate parts through the mails by merely enclosing itwithin a mailing envelope. The present new and improved package obviatesthe necessity for disassembling a repaired and calibrated unit,individually wrapping the parts and shipping them through the mail,subsequently unwrapping and reassembling the parts, and thereafterrechecking to be sure that none of the parts has been damaged duringshipment.

As a result a great amount of time, labor and expense is saved.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangementof the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention and Without sacricing any of its o A package of the classdescribed comprising cooperating bottom and top receptacle membershaving intertting telescopic side Wall portions, in combination with apair of like preformed selfsustaining cushion elements each relativelyloosely contained within one of said members, each of said elementscomprising a plurality of layers of softl cellulose, fibrous,tissue-like sheets having their central areas unattached to each otherand crowned to provide a bulging zone of high compressibility andsoftness and having their outer margins adhering together with the bersof the sheets interlocked in a compressed state to provide a relativelynarrow and thin perimetric edge ange that is relatively hard and stiffand substantially engages the side wall portions of the respectivemember, whereby the bulging central zone is compressed by the members toyield about an article and the stiffness of the edge ange resistslateral deformation of the cushion element on the imposition or pressurefrom the side walls of the members.

CHARLES D. VERDE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 310,937 Fitt Jan. 20, 1885 355,509 Colby Jan. 4, 1887 771,267Read Oct. 4, 1904 1,030,123 Peck June 18, 1912 1,438,305 Guice Dec. 12,1922 1,489,943 Jeffries Apr. 8, 1924 1,611,575 Aulbach Dec- 21, 19261,820,259 Wandel Aug. 25, 1931 1,926,916 Reeves Sept. 12, 1933 2,245,495Pemble June 10, 1941 2,282,908 Thompson May l2, 1942 2,407,495 HighSept. 10, 1946 2,425,388 Oestricher Aug. 12, 1947

